Fence guard



Sept. 24, 1935. F. F. CAPLINGER FENCE GUARD Filed June 27, 1955 i'z l afilin Patented Sept. 24, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a fence guard, and it is primarily an object of the invention to provide novel and improved means whereby a barbed wire or the like may be held at a desired distance to 5 one side of the upper portion of a fence to prevent cattle from stretching their heads over the top of the fence proper.

It is a common practice in the agricultural districtsto separate a field of wheat or other plants from a pasture by a suitably positioned fence. The stock in the pasture when the wheat or other plants at the oposite sides of the fence reach a suitable height are disposed to stretch their heads over the top of the fence to eat the vegetation with the result that the fence is often broken down. It is, therefore, highly important to provide means to prevent this and the present invention has for an object to provide an improved bracket which can be readily secured to a fence post or kindred support and which is constructed in a manner to hold a guard wire in a position to prevent the stock from contacting with the upper portion of the fence proper.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved fence guard whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter he definitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:-

Figure l is a view in perspective illustrating a fence guard constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention and in applied position;

Figure 2 is a view in top plan illustrating a bracket as herein disclosed in applied or working position;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the structure as illustrated in Figure 2.

In the accompanying drawing, F denotes a conventional type of wire fence fabric which is maintained in desired working position by the suitably positioned posts P. In accordance with the general practice the posts P also support at a desired point above the fabric F a barbed wire I.

When the erected fence separates a pasture from a growing field such as wheat, the stock in the pasture have a tendency to reach their heads over the top of the fence with an endeavor to eat the vegetation at the opposite sides thereof. While the barbed wire I is employed to prevent this yet the use of such barbed wire is not as effective as desired. This habit of the stock often '5 results in the breaking down of the fence with the attendant expense of repair.

It is also a well known idea to dispose along the top portion of the fence at the pasture side thereof a guard wire 2 preferably of a barbed type, but 10 dimculty has been encountered in effectively maintaining such guard wire 2 in place and at small expense. In the present embodiment of my invention the wire 2 is maintained in desired placement by the brackets 13 anchored to the up- 15 per portions of the posts. Each of these brackets B is formed of a single length of metal strap iron of desired width and possessing required strength.

The bracket B as is clearly illustrated in Figure 3, is substantially in the form of a right triangle 0 with the free end portions of the strap or member being arranged at the meeting of the hypothenuse arm 3 and the altitude arm 4. The intermediate or base member 5 of the bracket B contacts with the post P and extends longitudinally thereof, 25 said member being held in place by the bolts 6 or other fastening members extending through the post and the base member 5. The base member 5 at spaced points therealong is provided with the crimps 1 to straddle adjacent wires of the fabric 30 F or the barbed wire I when the bracket is applied.

The outer or free end portion of the arm 4 of the bracket B terminates in a downwardly disposed lip 8 which is closely approached by a forwardly and angularly disposed extension 9 carried 35 by the outer or free end portion of the arm 3. This extension 9 and the outer end portion of the arm 4 have freely disposed therethrough a headed member ID, the head of which contacting from above with the arm 4. Threading upon the member I0 and contacting from below with the extension9isanutll.

The guard wire 2 is disposed between the extension 9 and the arm 4 outwardly of the member 10 and upon proper manipulation of the nut ll 45 the extension 9 and the adjacent portion of the arm 4 may be readily adjusted to compensate for wires 2 of differing diameters. The member ID serves to hold the wire 2 against displacement as a result of movement inwardly of the extension 9 50 while the lip 8 serves to hold the wire 2 against displacement as a result of any possible movement forwardly or outwardly of the extension 9. To further assure the efiiciency of the bracket B the free extremity of the extension 9"carries an up- 55 arm 4;

The face of each of the posts opposite to the I applied bracket B is provided with an elongated strap l4 through which the anchoring bolts 6 are directed, said strap I4 operating as a washer and which is of particular advantage when the post P is of wood.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawing, each of the brackets B extends from the face of the post to which the fabric F and wire I are secured. Should it be desired to have the brackets extend in the opposite direction, the member 5 of each of the brackets B is secured to said opposite face through the medium of a bolt 6 while the strap I4 is extended along the face of the post with which the fabric and wire coact. For this reason the strap M at desired points spaced therealong is provided with the crimps l5 to receive the Wire 2 and a wire of the fabric F.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a fence guard constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. A supporting bracket for a guard Wire for a fence comprising a strap of metal substantially in the form of a right triangle, the altitude arm and the hypothenuse arm having their outer extremities free, the base member of the bracket engaging a fence post when the bracket is in working position, the guard wire being received between the outer end portions of the arms, means disposed through the outer end portions of the arms for adjusting the same to compensate for guard wires of different thicknesses and to stop movement of the guard wire inwardly of the bracket, one of the arms having a lip to stop movement of the guard wire outwardly of the bracket.

2. A supporting bracket for a guard wire for a fence comprising a strap of metal substantially in the form of a right triangle, the altitude arm and the hypothenuse arm having their outer ex- 20 tremities free, the base member of the bracket engaging a fence post when the bracket is in working position, the guard wire being received between the outer end portions of the arms, means disposed through the outer end portions of the arms for adjusting the same to compensate for guard wires of different thicknesses and to stop movement of the guard wire inwardly of the bracket, one of the arms having a lip to stop movement of the guard wire outwardly of the; 

